Ezra: April 2018
Table of Contents
Faith, Fear, Pleasure and Power
Zerubbabel, Joshua, Ezra, Nehemiah and others were called in a day of failure to build and to repair the house of God and to restore and rebuild Jerusalem. Likewise today we are called to build and repair on the foundation of the present house of God. Their challenges are our challenges and what they learned is for us to learn as well. In thinking of them, four words come to mind: Faith, Fear, Pleasure and Power.
“Bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified.” “The joy of the Lord [His pleasure]” is your strength. If in feebleness I care for God’s church now, I am caring for that which engages the affections of the heart of Christ.
Now, “we walk by faith, and not by sight.” It is the failure of faith and not the power of the enemy that leads to fear and the stopping of work. Then sight takes over and present things take the place of God’s things. When faith fails everything as to work for God fails. God was with the people in the work. This was the whole secret of their strength.
“Be strong....saith the Lord, and work: for I am with you.” “Not by might nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord.” “The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him.” It is impossible for those who are acting for God and with God to fail.
The Book of Ezra
The book of Ezra marks an important point in God’s dealings with His people Israel. Although seventy years had elapsed, yet the book is really the continuation of 2 Chronicles, for time does not count with the Jews when in exile from the land of promise. They had lost everything by their sins and apostasy; God had sent Nebuchadnezzar to chastise them, to destroy His own house which His people had profaned and polluted, to carry them away captive to Babylon, and “to fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her Sabbaths” (2 Chron. 36:21). Nothing could be sadder than the record of the destruction of Jerusalem and the termination of the kingdom as entrusted in responsibility to the hands of man, except indeed the still more fearful accounts of the siege and capture of Jerusalem by Titus soon after the commencement of the Christian era. The long-suffering of God had been tested in every possible way. In His patient grace He had borne with the high-handed rebellion of His people; He had lingered with a yearning heart, like the Savior when He was upon earth, over the city which was the expression of royal grace. He had sent to them by His messengers, “rising up betimes and sending; because He had compassion on His people, and on His dwelling-place: but they mocked the messengers of God, and despised His words, and misused His prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against His people, till there was no remedy” (2 Chron. 36:15-16).
The Sword of Justice
The sword of His justice thus fell upon His guilty people, for their sins had exceeded those even of the Amorites whom God had driven out before them (see 2 Kings 21:11). God’s throne on earth was henceforward transferred to Babylon, and the times of the Gentiles commenced. These times still continue and will do so until Christ Himself shall establish His throne, the throne of His father David. Lo-Ammi (“not My people”) was in this way written upon the chosen race, and they entered upon the sorrowful experience of captivity and banishment under the judicial dealings of the hand of their God.
But now, when the book of Ezra begins, the seventy years of their exile (which had been foretold by Jeremiah) had been completed, and Ezra relates the actions of God in connection therewith for the accomplishment of His own sure and faithful word.
It is the character of these which explains the attitude of God towards His people during the times of the Gentiles, and also, to some extent, the peculiarity of this portion of the Scriptures, as well as Nehemiah and Esther. In these books God is no longer seen actively interposing in the affairs of His people, but He works, as it were, behind the scenes, and at the same time, recognizing the new order which He Himself has established, He uses the Gentile monarchs, into whose hands He had committed the scepter of the earth, for the execution of His purposes. Bearing these principles in mind, we shall be the better able to enter intelligently upon the study of this book. The book divides itself into two parts. The first six chapters give the account of the return of the captives who responded to the proclamation of Cyrus (about 536 B.C.) and the building of the temple; the last four speak of the mission of Ezra himself (beginning about 468 B.C.).
E. Dennett
Ezra
When we enter the book of Ezra, we begin the story of the returned captives; we see them in their circumstances and their behavior, and from both we gather instruction. In their condition we read much of our own, and from their behavior, we are either taught, or encouraged, or warned.
Having accomplished their journey from Babylon to Jerusalem, we find them at once in much moral beauty; they use what they have, they do what they can, but they do not assume or affect what they have not, and what they cannot. They have the Word, and they use it. They do their best with the genealogies, so as to preserve the purity of the priesthood and the sanctuary; but they do not affect to do what the Urim and the Thummim would enable them to do, for they do not have it.
An Altar
They are quick to raise an altar to the God of Israel. They need not build their temple first. An altar will do for burnt-offerings, and as a revived people they raise their altar, and begin their worship on the first day of the seventh month. Israel raised no altar in Babylon, but now again in Jerusalem, the altar is built, and sacrifices rendered. But further, as soon as the foundation of the temple is laid, a strange thing is heard. It was a discord of harsh sounds in the ear of nature, but a harmony of hallowed voices in the ear of God, and of faith. There are weepings and cries for sorrow; there are shoutings for joy. But, weighed in the sanctuary, all this was harmony, for all was real; all was “to the Lord.”
The Gentile Power
There is real confusion, however, for now a godly Jew finds himself the subject of a Gentile power. Then, looking at his brethren, he finds some of them with him, but some still far away, among the heathen. Taking a wider gaze at the people of the land, he would see a seed of corruption, half Jew half heathen, in the place which had once been shared only among the seed of Abraham! Light and energy were needed to deal with this strange mass of difficulties and contradictions, but that light and energy are beautifully found among the godly remnant who had returned. They distinguish things that differ, bowing to the authority of the Persian, as set over them by ordination of God, while refusing the proffered aid of the Samaritan, as being themselves untrue to the God of their fathers. They will be subject to the “powers that be,” but repudiate religious impurity. All this is very pertinent to present conditions among ourselves, for the principles which are found in them reappear among the saints of this day. Faith still uses the written word in all things, but does nothing beyond its measure. It does not cast away what it has, because it does not have more. It does not say, “There is no hope,” and sit idle, because power in certain forms of glory does not now belong to us; but it will not imitate power, or fashion the image of what is now departed. And it waits for the day when all will be set in eternal order and beauty, by the presence of Him who is the true light and perfection.
The Confusion
Also, faith still recognizes confusion. If we see it in Israel in the day of Ezra, we see it among the saints and assemblies in the day of 2 Timothy, and the day of 2 Timothy was but the beginning of the present long day of Christendom, or of “the great house.” Strange, inconsistent elements surround us, as they did the returned captives, for we are in the present, great house of Christendom, with its clean and unclean vessels, some to honor, and some to dishonor. We may, however, be encouraged by these captives, for there was more energy and light, and a deeper exercise of spirit, in the returned from Babylon, than in the redeemed from Egypt.
Building Houses
We may also be warned by these returned captives. They need another revival, though now returned to Jerusalem. The decree of Artaxerxes had stopped the building of the temple, and nature takes advantage of this; the captives begin to adorn their own houses, as soon as they are free of their labor in building the Lord’s house. It has been said that it is easier to gain a victory than to use it. We may conquer in the fight, but be defeated by the victory. The returned Jews had gained a victory when they refused the offers and the alliance of the Samaritans, but now the leisure thus generated becomes a snare to the remnant. They use it in ceiling and adorning their own houses. But the Spirit of God is not bound, and can revive His ancient grace in sending His prophets to them. “Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your ceiled houses, and this house lie waste?” says the convicting rebuking Spirit by the Prophet Haggai. As a result the house is again attended to; the zeal of the people revives, and they work with renewed earnestness.
The dedication of the house then takes place. And then they keep their Passover, and priests and Levites are alike purified now, as they had not been in the royal time of Hezekiah. So that we may say, though there was a lack of all manifested glory, yet here there is more attractive moral grace and power than in the brighter days of Egypt, Hezekiah and Solomon.
The Story of Ezra
As we enter this next part of the book, beginning with chapter seven, we have passed an interval of about sixty years, and are in company with a new generation of captives; we are about to witness a second exodus from Babylon. This portion of the book gives us the story of Ezra himself.
It consists of two parts; his journey from Babylon, and his work at Jerusalem. In each of these, we find him eminently a man of God. His resources are only what we have in our day—the Word and the presence of God. But he used them, and used them well. All through, we see him in much communion with the Lord, and he will carry the word of God through every difficulty and hindrance. He leads a comparatively small remnant home from Babylon to Jerusalem, but he exercises a spirit of faith and obedience.
The Journey
In starting on the journey, he is careful to preserve the sanctity of holy things. He will look for the Levites to bear them home, though this may delay him on the banks of the river Ahava for twelve days. It is very sweet to see a saint thus in weakness of circumstances, so carrying himself before God through his services and duties. And further, he will not ask help of the king of Persia; He will get strength from God by fasting, rather than from the king, by asking.
The journey was accomplished without any mischief or loss by the way. The treasures were all delivered in the temple, as they had been weighed and numbered at the Ahava. But now Ezra has to look around him in Jerusalem, and the sight is overwhelming. Decline among the returned captives had set in rapidly, and corruption had worked all too well. Ezra blessedly illustrates the godliness of weeping for other men’s sins—a Christ-like affection. Indeed, this sample of it in this man of God may well humble some of us. The holy seed had again mingled themselves with the people of the land: the Jew had joined affinity with the Gentile.
Separation to God
To maintain anything of purity in the progress of a dispensation, reviving power has to be put forth again and again; a fresh separation to God and His truth has to take place. So is it now with Ezra at Jerusalem. But we here pause for a moment, to consider some divine principles. In the day of the flood, God had separated defilement from Himself and His creation by judgment,. But when the post-deluvian world defiled itself, He distinguished between clean and unclean by calling Abraham to Himself, to the knowledge of Him, and a walk with Him, apart from the world. These are samples of what He has ever since been doing, and is doing still. Separation from evil is, in a great sense, the principle of communion with Him.
Ezra soon finds that the returned captives had practically forgotten all this. The children of the captivity had been marrying, and giving in marriage, with the Gentiles. Ezra sets himself to the work of reformation, and the blessing of God waits upon it. There is no miracle; no displayed glory; no mighty energy speaking of extraordinary divine presence; the service is done for the glory of the God of Israel, and in the spirit of worship and communion. Ezra maintains principles, and carries the Word of God through every hindrance.
Deeply do I believe that the saints of God in our day may read the story of the returned captives, as very good for the use of edifying, and find plenty to instruct, to encourage, to warn, and to humble them.
Present Testimony (adapted)
Zerubbabel and Joshua
Communion, Work and Encouragement
The history of the remnant returned from Babylon is of real interest and suggests much that is so important for guidance. It is profitable for us to consider, for the same grace which watched over, encouraged, and bore with them now watches over us. If we are truly humbled about our own failure, we must realize that grace is our only resource.
Never-Failing Grace
Glancing backward for a little, there was a time when Israel as a nation answered to the twelve loaves on the table of showbread. But that state of things ceased, and the nation was divided. Israel, beginning with idolatry, ended with judgment, while Judah, preserved in grace for a time, also departed from Jehovah and was carried into Babylon. Night settled down upon the scene of testimony. Never-failing grace would still, however, have something suitable to itself. The ever-merciful Jehovah accordingly restores a feeble few to the land, gathering them to the original center with a divinely-wrought desire to have Him duly recognized. His Spirit remained among them (Hag. 2:5), and Jehovah would have them erect a house for His name, in which He would find pleasure (Hag. 1:8), however small this temple would be compared with Solomon’s.
They also are permitted to enter into that pleasure, and their joy rises upward while they sing, “His mercy endureth forever” (Ezra 3:11). They also add in unselfish faith, “toward Israel” — faith which does not restrict God in His gracious acts, but loves to reckon upon His faithfulness towards all of His people. Here God sees something to meet His mind; a seven-branched golden candlestick, yielding light amid all the darkness in virtue of the golden oil which His grace supplies (Zech. 4:12-13). But testimony to Him as Lord of all the earth in administrative power (which gave the table of showbread its significance) remained with the Gentiles. In this way God thought of the restored remnant, though it was contemptible in the eyes of those who did not know Him or His ways. So today that same grace establishes and maintains heavenly testimony concerning Christ at God’s right hand. His present place is the seal of the world’s condemnation; they rejected Him who came in grace, because He came in weakness. For this reason the world refused Him His place (which Jewish testimony claimed) as “Lord of the whole earth.” Now it is more deeply guilty in having formally cast out that same blessed One when He came in tenderest pity, “reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them” (2 Cor. 5:19).
But the godly remnant of Judah, as is typical of man, became occupied with its own weakness, instead of with a God who turns man’s weakness to His own glory. Through lack of faith they became discouraged, for man is glad of any reasonable excuse to slip out of his responsibility. Circumstances may arise which try his devotedness (compare Ezra 4:23-24; 5:1-2,5), but in this man also finds an occasion for what pleases his flesh better — self-aggrandizement or gratification. How natural to hearts which were growing lukewarm it was to obey the king’s command! And more than this, they ceased to build God’s house and found an opportunity for embellishing their own houses (Hag. 1:1,4,9).
Haggai and Zechariah Enter the Scene
At this point, the prophets Haggai and Zechariah enter upon the scene, having been sent by God to rally the backslidden remnant. Their zeal is in keeping with the magnitude of the evil of abandoning the work on God’s house, when the temple is viewed as that in which the glory of Jehovah was essentially involved (Hag. 1:8). This aspect of devotedness is outside the thoughts of those who contemplate only man’s blessing and happiness. To such, the gathering of a feeble few around the center which God recognizes is a matter of no importance — a waste of time and trouble, and especially should this gathering hinder a “movement “which has in view (as they think) the benefit of man.
The Two Leaders
In Zechariah 3-4 the prophet Zechariah addressed the two chief actors in this blessed work of God — Joshua and Zerubbabel. The dealings of God with His two beloved servants at this juncture display the most precious grace and wisdom. Each is dealt with according to the responsibilities of his office: the high priest Joshua, as worshipper, is engaged with the foundation; Zerubbabel, the workman, with the superstructure. At the outset, communion with God, seen especially in Joshua’s case, introduces the question of fitness to approach God. The carrying forward of the work, in the case of Zerubbabel, suggests the question of adequate strength.
Joshua and the Foundation
Thus in the prophet’s vision, conscience-smitten Joshua stands mute before God, while the accuser pleads against him.God, while admitting Joshua’s state, in love takes up his cause. Happy the portion of him whom God renders sensible of guilt, and thus silent before Him, but only to teach him what divine love can do for him against all who would condemn and with him when humbled about the state of God’s people! The accuser being silenced, Joshua is dealt with according to that love and clothed with the robe of righteousness. The iniquity is removed, and Joshua duly established in his office (vss. 5-7); he is also made fully aware of the responsibility attaching to his position. To sustain him here, and those who “sit before” him in similar testimony, Christ is prophetically introduced by an assurance based upon the foundation-stone already laid before Joshua (vss. 8-9). This is no doubt a figure of the blessed One of whom God has said, “Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious.” Thus is Joshua drawn by infinite love into nearness with God, that he may see, together with God, what is involved in their present undertaking, and taste the delight which He finds in viewing what foreshadowed His beloved Son. His eyes are engaged with that One whom Scripture calls “the Branch,” and only those who are blind to God’s purposes would fail to see, in the work they were so ready to abandon, the expression of God’s grace to them and an occasion for showing their gratitude to God for what He had just done in their restoration.
Zerubbabel and the Building
These considerations have led us from the foundation to the building. All was contemptible to man, but everything for the comfort of the faithful heart, which has learned to rest in God’s estimate of things. He is pleased with what man is prone to despise. Jesus moved among the base things of this world, was crucified in weakness, and was despised and rejected of men. It is well for the soul to have realized what God has said of the believer — “dead with Christ” — from the scene where He was sold for “thirty pieces of silver”; it was well for Zerubbabel (Zech. 4) to have God’s mind concerning that “day of small things.” God says, “Not by might, nor by power,” but these are just the things which fill the eye amid Babylon’s splendor and display; they are just the things that all are reckoning upon now for the accomplishment of the many “movements” for the benefit of man. This same occupation with might and power can also be a snare to many who are content with the day of small things, but who have not yet learned to see God in them. We must be content also with the power which is alone adequate to sustain them — a power known only to faith, which, when apprehended, is sure to eclipse everything known to man.
Shall Zerubbabel now shudder beneath the discouraging shadow of the “great [Gentile] mountain” and condescend to reckon upon its aid? When he uses by faith the power with which he is furnished, the great mountain melts, and all man’s display is mere vanity. God finds pleasure in the day of small things, while sin is characterized by display. What joy it is to Him to undertake afresh what is a matter of rejoicing (vs. 10), to Him whose seven eyes run to and fro through the whole earth! God ever delights to furnish conscious weakness with strength — strength adequate to undertake and accomplish those things in which He would have us act for Him.
The heart needs two things which characterize life: first, energy, which desires an object to go after, to win Christ; second, the peaceful, quiet enjoyment of the place we are in. This is rest — the happiness of knowing a settled, unclouded relationship. Relationship goes on beyond the glory, for after the kingdom and all is over, we shall still be children.
Christian Friend, Vol. 6, page 62 (adapted)
Remnant Recovery
The Book of Ezra relates the history of the returning Jews to their homeland after 70 years of dominion under the kings of Babylon. It demonstrates the ways of God with a remnant that returns after general failure in what had been entrusted to them. The process began with the commission of Cyrus, king of Persia, for the Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the house of their God. In the second verse of Ezra, Cyrus states that the God of heaven had given him the kingdoms of the earth and had charged him to build house in Jerusalem. He invited the people of the Jews to go to Jerusalem “and build the house of the Lord God of Israel.” The invitation was individual and many responded together with their families. Others helped them with goods but stayed in Babylon. Close to 50,000 went back, but it was only a partial return—a remnant. Cyrus sent with them vessels from the temple that had been kept in Babylon since the captivity. Each person was entrusted with something to carry back to Jerusalem.
They Build an Altar
The first thing they did when they arrived at the ruined city of Jerusalem was to build an altar to the Lord. They celebrated the feast of tabernacles and commenced the daily burnt offerings, with other sacrifices and offerings. They praised the Lord and began building the foundations of the temple. We read of no opposition in chapter 3, but that was not to last long. The enemies in the land weaken the hands of the builders and hire counsellors against them. The sequel in chapters 4-6 is a lesson on how God works with the rulers of the world concerning the remnant of His people for their preservation and testimony to His name.
The Order to Stop
The adversaries of Judah raised up opposition throughout the successive reigns of the kings of Persia. During the short reign of Ahasuerus (Smerdis), a letter was sent to him from the adversaries of the men of Judah, which in turn resulted in the king issuing an order for the building to stop. The adversaries promptly went up to Jerusalem and made the men of Judah cease by force and power. So the building ceased until the second year of the reign of Darius (Hystaspes). Though the historical order of events regarding these kings is not clearly evident, it is clear that God allowed sudden changes of kings in the Medo-Persian empire at that time. Among other reasons, it was for the sake of the remnant of Israel at Jerusalem.
Now we may ask why the Lord would allow a difficulty such as this order from the king to stop building? Why this change from the original decree? Had not God moved Cyrus to open the door for the Jews to return and build the temple? Were they to submit to the authority of the Gentile kings? This was a test from God. He was searching their hearts to prove them and to strengthen their faith in Him. It was not sufficient for the Jews to build only according to the directives of Cyrus. The rebuilding of the temple must be on more solid ground. They must act in faith to Jehovah. They were God’s people, representatives of Jehovah. He was reestablishing them as His priests in Jerusalem, but the Gentile kings would continue to rule. God was over them all. The Jews, being a remnant seeking to recover what had been lost, could not just return and carry on from where things were before the captivity. God had chastised them and removed them from their privileged place because of sin and failure. These things must be addressed. God was using their adversaries to cause them to address these issues. He allowed the king to order a stop in the work. They must buy the truth.
The Prophesies of Haggai and Zechariah
At that time Haggai and Zechariah prophesied in the name of the God of Israel to those in Jerusalem and Judah. Haggai told them, first of all, to “consider their ways” (Hag. 1:5). They had continued building their own houses but not the Lord’s. Then Haggai conveyed the message from the Lord, “I am with you” (Hag. 1:13). After going through these exercises of soul, they received a mandate directly from the Lord. It was proper for them to obey and proceed with the building. God communicated to them through the two prophets. He could give orders through the prophets as well as through the kings of the Gentiles. This begs the question: Should they obey the king? Or should they obey the prophet? Zerubbabel and Jeshua together with the prophets began to build again.
“What Are the Names?”
Tatnai the governor of the adjoining region heard of it and came to ask who had commanded them to build. They wanted to know the names of those who were building, no doubt, so they could be reported. The answer given to the question shows the fruit of the exercise they had gone through. They simply leave it as it had been stated: “What are the names of the men that make this building?” In other words, the names of the builders were insignificant. No names are given. The real issue was the order to build. In order to substantiate this, the men of Judah must go back and recognize their past history. So they say, “We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and build the house that was builded these many years ago, which a great king of Israel builded and set up. But after that our fathers had provoked the God of heaven unto wrath, he gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this house, and carried the people away into Babylon. But in the first year of Cyrus the king of Babylon the same king Cyrus made a decree to build this house of God” (Ezra 5:11-13). This was a recognition of their relationship to God and of their past failure in that relationship which brought the judgment of God on them. The little remnant did not take high ground concerning their own righteousness; rather, they took the ground of servants of the God of heaven and earth. He was the One who had caused Nebuchadnezzar to carry them away. Now they had returned under God’s authority and that of Cyrus. This is the position every remnant should take.
The King’s Response
When these matters were sent in a letter to King Darius, who had been recently made ruler, the king called for a search in the house of the rolls. It was found that indeed Cyrus had made a decree concerning the house of God at Jerusalem. The decree was made about 17 years previously. The king then sent a response back to Tatnai the governor. Tatnai was told in no uncertain terms to allow the Jews to build; additionally he was ordered to help with the expenses. Provisions also were to be given for the building, including animals for the “burnt offerings of the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the appointment of the priests which are at Jerusalem” (Ezra 6:9). “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord,” and the Lord turned his heart to allow the building to continue.
Remnant Position
The remnant of Jews took their proper place in recognizing their past failure and in turning to the Lord. He gave them His word through the prophets to build, and they began building, even without another order from the king. He honored their faith. How often we like to take matters into our own hands when things go wrong. But they did not send a letter to the king to contradict the letter of their enemies. On the other hand, when adversity comes, we may just give up, doing very little, or nothing. They rose up and built when everything was contrary. The little remnant demonstrated their faith in the Lord, having judged in themselves what their forefathers had not judged. The command to stop building was allowed to bring all this to fruition.
Our place in the Christian testimony today is like that of the remnant of the Jews who returned to Jerusalem. Such a place cannot be based on the premise that we are better than others, or have better teaching and piety. Nor should we give up building because of lack of help from others. God would have us build His house. He has called us to build (1 Cor. 3:19; 2 Tim. 2:21). When opposition comes, we must look to Him in faith. He has said, “Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matt. 18:20). Individually, when we hear Him saying, “I am with you,” we can count on Him to open the doors, as He said to those who kept His word and did not deny His name in Philadelphia. “I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it” (Rev. 3:8).
D. C. Buchanan
Remnant Lessons
In the Book of Ezra we find a remnant of the people extricating themselves from Babylon and returning to a divine position before the Lord. Care marked these faithful men, lest any but those whose title was distinctly of Israel should be mixed up with the work of the Lord. They did not disown them as of Israel, but they could not recognize their claim. God might discern them as His; they could not pretend to divine discernment when they had not the Urim and the Thummim (see Ezra 2:59-63). In this we have an instructive lesson for our own day.
When the church was in divine order, each took his place, like the priesthood of Israel, without question as to title to be there. But meanwhile Israel had become mixed up in the corruptions of Babylon, and disorder reigned. When Paul contemplates the total disorder of things in the church which never could be remedied, he instructs the remnant who had departed from iniquity and purged themselves from the vessels to dishonor in the Babylon of the professing church (2 Tim. 2:19-22) to “follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord, out of a pure heart.” They did not deny that those who were still in the corruption were children of God, but they had not extricated themselves from the evils there, and if, knowing the corruption, they had not departed from it, the conscience was defiled and the heart impure. The remnant are careful then only to walk with those who call on the Lord “out of a pure heart.”
The Feast of Trumpets
But the seventh month came (Ezra 3), the moment for the gathering of the people (the feast of trumpets). The remnant gathered themselves “as one man” in the only divine city in the world of that day—the only platform where they could take down, so to say, those long-silent, unstrung harps from the willows and worship Israel’s God! They might pray with the window open toward Jerusalem and confess their sins in Babylon, but they could not worship Him there. It was impossible to reconstruct the order of things as they had been in Solomon’s day; that day had passed away! The glory had departed from Israel, and the sword was in the Gentile hand. Yet, outside all these things, which belonged to a day of order, the Lord had not forgotten those faithful men, and His Word and Spirit remained. “They built an altar to the God of Israel,” though all Israel was not there. They did not pretend to be “Israel,” yet they could contemplate all Israel, and in Israel’s city worship Israel’s God, in the way that Israel’s God had written.
The Praise of Jehovah
As a remnant who had escaped, they occupied this divine platform and sang the praise of Jehovah: “O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good, for His mercy endureth forever” (Psa. 106:1). When the glory of former days had passed away and the failure and ruin of Israel was complete, the returned remnant could raise the very same old note of praise: “Because He is good, for His mercy endureth forever” (Ezra 3:11). They had been faithless, but He was faithful. The fathers of Israel, who had seen the house of the Lord before the captivity, could weep when they thought of the unfaithfulness of the people. The younger ones could sing with joy when they celebrated the faithfulness of the Lord. The weeping and the rejoicing were both good; to weep was right, when they thought of the failure of the people to Jehovah, but to rejoice was right, when they thought of the faithfulness of God!
The One Body
All this has its instructive lesson for us. The unity of the church remains, being maintained by the Spirit of God. Tongues have gone, apostolic power has gone, miraculous signs have passed away, such as healings and other gifts which would call the attention of the world. Still the Word of God and the faithfulness of God abide, and to it God has directed us in the last days. The remnant extricated themselves from Babylon, as it were, and gathered together to the name of the Lord. So today the people of God can gather on the basis of Matthew 18:20 and on the never-failing principle of the church’s existence—“one body and one Spirit” (Eph. 4:4). In this, they do not pretend to be “the church of God”; that would be to forget that there are children of God still scattered in the Babylon around. They can set up nothing, reconstruct nothing. But they can remember that “He that is holy, He that is true; He that shutteth and no man openeth, and openeth and no man shutteth” (Rev. 3:7) is with them. He is ever to be trusted and counted upon. If He sends a help or gift among them, they can thank God and accept it as a token of His favor and grace, but they can appoint none. To do so would be to forget the total ruin which never can be restored, and to presume to do that for which they had no warrant in the Word of God.
Others That Return
If a fresh action of the Spirit of God causes a Nehemiah-like company to follow from Babylon, they are glad to welcome them to the divine ground they occupy themselves. If the Nehemiah-like company comes, they find before them a remnant who had previously, through grace, occupied the divine position. They must gladly and cheerfully fall in with what God had wrought. They dare not set up another; it would be but schism. It was the same Spirit who had wrought, and who, if followed, could not but guide them to the same divine position to which He had guided others. How completely this sets aside independency and the will of man!
If led of “one Spirit,” they cannot but link themselves practically, in the unity of the Spirit, with those who had pre-occupied the divine platform, cheerfully and thankfully owning what God had wrought, and following where “one Spirit” had led their brethren before them, to the name of the Lord, as “one body,” to break “one loaf” in remembrance of Him!
F. G. Patterson (adapted)
Rebuilding the Temple
As we see in other articles in this issue, it was the Lord Himself who had brought some of His people back from Babylon after their captivity of seventy years. Jeremiah had prophesied of this time period, and Isaiah had even been given the name of King Cyrus (see Isa. 44:28; 45:1), the Persian king who would give the command to rebuild the temple. Isaiah prophesied at least 175 years before Cyrus began to reign.
Thus we see a relatively small group of people (about 50,000) who returned in the first year of King Cyrus, with a specific command to “build the house of the Lord God of Israel ... which is in Jerusalem” (Ezra 1:3). All who were willing were encouraged to go, but only a small number responded. More than this, Cyrus “brought forth the vessels of the house of the Lord, which Nebuchadnezzar has brought forth out of Jerusalem ... and numbered them unto Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah” (Ezra 1:7-8). Cyrus ordered other things to be supplied, so that nothing would be lacking to those who wished to go. It is nice to see that among those who came back was Zerubbabel, who was in the royal line of David, and thus the king of Israel. Although, no doubt, it was very humbling for him, it seems that he recognized God’s hand upon them and quietly took his place simply as one of the people.
An Altar Built
It is instructive to see that as soon as the people arrived back in Jerusalem, they first of all “builded the altar of the God of Israel” (Ezra 3:2) and offered burnt offerings. They did not need the temple for this; the altar was enough. They could not offer burnt offerings in Babylon, but now at long last they could do so. They gave the Lord His place and offered first of all that which was due to Him. This is a most needful example for our day, for when we give the Lord His place and honor Him first of all, we find that everything else falls into its proper place.
The following year they began to rebuild the temple, no doubt with real energy, but it was not long before there was opposition. This opposition evidently continued for some years, all through the reign of Cyrus. Finally Cyrus died, and he was succeeded by Ahasuerus (Cambyses of history) in the year 529 B.C. During his reign, the adversaries of the returned remnant make an accusation against the Jews, and later, in the reign of his successor Artaxerxes (Smerdis of history, who began to reign in 522 B.C.), they succeed in getting a royal decree to stop the work. Their enemies were able to make them cease “by force and power” (Ezra 4:23).
Reasons for the Stoppage
It seemed as if they could not carry on, and it is true that for the moment, they were forbidden to do so. However, it is necessary to look behind the scenes to see the real reason for all this. Man might seem to have stopped the work, but the real problem lay in the hearts of God’s people. The details are not recorded in the Book of Ezra; the opposition of the adversaries is recorded, but nothing is said about the moral condition of the people. We must turn to the Book of Haggai for this, and here we find that while Haggai says nothing about the adversaries, he exposes the moral condition of the people. As another has aptly commented, “History has to do with events; prophecy with the moral condition that lies behind the actions of the people.” We find the former in Ezra, the latter in Haggai. Haggai, along with Zechariah and Malachi, prophesied after the captivity, and his words were particularly directed to those who came back to the land under the decree of Cyrus. It is evident that the people had lost interest in building the Lord’s house, for Haggai records, “This people say, The time is not come, the time that the Lord’s house should be built” (Hag. 1:2). After a relatively short time of building the temple, the people had not only become discouraged by the constant storm of protest from without; they had also been occupied with their own affairs and neglected the temple. All this probably went on for a period of twelve years or so. As a result, Haggai berates the people for dwelling in their own “ceiled houses” while the Lord’s house lay waste. He points out to them that God’s hand was against them, in that their crops had not been good, and their wages were not sufficient for their needs. They had “looked for much, and, lo, it came to little,” for the Lord had “called for a drought upon the land ... and upon cattle, and upon all the labor of the hands” (Hag. 1:9,11). Concerning all this, it is recorded, “Yet ye turned not to Me, saith the Lord” (Hag. 2:17).
What happened here is a principle with God. As He had opened a door through Cyrus for the people to return to the land, so today we read that “I have set before thee an opened door, which no one can shut” (Rev. 3:8 JND). But if we fail to obey the Lord’s call and take advantage of God’s opened door, He may, in His government, allow it to be closed, in order that we may do as Haggai exhorted the people: “Consider your ways” (Hag. 1:5,7).
“I Am With You”
But Haggai’s message was not merely negative; he also encouraged the people by telling them, “I am with you, saith the Lord” (Hag. 1:13). In addition, he told them to “be strong ... and work,” saying as well, “My spirit remaineth among you: fear ye not” (Hag. 2:4-5). Finally, he prophesies of a glorious future, as a special encouragement to those who might well be somewhat cast down by the littleness of the work compared to former days.
Thankfully there was a positive result to all this, for the people listened to the word by Haggai, and especially leaders such as Zerubbabel and Joshua. The people began again to build the temple with renewed energy, although they had no command from the king again to proceed. But when the Lord is working, we find that “the king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord” (Prov. 21:1). By this time Artaxerxes had been replaced by Darius (521-485 B.C.). The local governor and others immediately inquired of the Jews, as to who had commanded them to build the house. But here the people take the right place before God; they own their position before the authorities and the king, and also admit that they were in this position because “our fathers had provoked the God of heaven unto wrath” (Ezra 5:12). They also remind them of the decree of Cyrus, as their authority to build.
The New Order From the King
The wonderful result was that when Darius made a search, he found all that they said to be true. Darius evidently had a great respect for Cyrus and what he had done; accordingly, he threw his full support behind the Jews, even ordering the civil authorities to help them, using public funds. The building of the temple was resumed and finished “in the sixth year of Darius the king” (Ezra 6:15), about 515 B.C. The people then “kept the dedication of this house of God with joy” (Ezra 6:16).
Again, we find here a principle of God, in His ways with His people. Their bad moral state had caused them previously to cease building, and then God allowed the authorities formally to stop them. Now, when there was repentance and restoration to a good moral state, they again start to build, although without government authority to do so. But then God comes in and not only reverses the injunction against them, but in addition provides for help for which they had not asked. The reference point in each case was not the power of man, but rather the state of the people.
When we are in the pathway of the Lord’s will, all His power is behind us. This does not mean that we may not encounter difficulties in doing the will of the Lord. No, He may allow these to test us. But His will can never be thwarted; He will make a way for us, if we look to Him, and own our true position before Him.
W. J. Prost
Strength and Separation
Ezra 7-10 gives us the story of Ezra and those who return from Babylon with him about sixty years after Zerubbabel and those had returned with him. We find in Ezra a man of God. He is in ordinary circumstances; no miracle distinguishes the action; no display of glory or of power accompanies it, nor have we the inspiration which filled the prophets Haggai and Zechariah on the last revival, as we saw in Ezra 5-6. All is ordinary: His resources are only what ours are in this day, and the Word and the presence of God. But he used them and used them well and faithfully throughout. Before he began to act, he prepared his heart to seek the Lord. He had meditated on His statutes till his profiting, as we may surely say, appears to all of us. As soon as he begins to act, and all through to the very end, we see him in much communion and in secret with the Lord. He will carry the Word of God through every difficulty and hindrance. He leads home from Babylon to Jerusalem a comparatively small remnant, but he exercises a spirit of faith and obedience in no common measure.
In starting on the journey, he is careful to preserve the sanctity of holy things. In such a spirit had Jehoiada the priest acted, as he was bringing back Joash to the kingdom. He would not sacrifice the purity of the house of God to any necessity of the times (2 Chron. 23). And so now, in leading his remnant back to Jerusalem, Ezra will not sacrifice the sanctity of the vessels of the house to any hindrance or difficulty of his day. He will look out for the Levites to bear them home, though this may delay him on the banks of the Ahava for twelve days. He is far above King David in all this. David, in an hour when he might have commanded the resources of a kingdom, did not keep the Book of God open before him, but hastily set the ark of God on a new cart. But Ezra is as one who has the Word of God ever before him: Though in the zeal of David, he takes care against the haste and heedlessness of David (1 Chron. 13).
Strength From God
It is very sweet to see a saint thus in weakness of circumstances, with nothing but ordinary resources, so carrying himself before God and through his services and duties.
And further, as we next see him, he is one that will not take a backward step. He had boasted of the God of Israel to the king of Persia, and he will not now (beginning a perilous journey) ask help of him, gainsaying in act the confession of his lips. He will get strength from God by fasting rather than from the king by asking.
There are beautiful combinations in all that we have now traced in this dear man. He used God’s Word and God’s presence; richly instructed as a scribe, he was much in secret with the Lord. He was a diligent, meditative student at home, but he was energetic and practical and devoted abroad. He would not go behind his conscience or sacrifice the Word of God to any difficulty or hindrance, and if his confession did for a moment go beyond his faith and he found himself not quite up to the place he had been put in, he would wait on God to have his heart strengthened, and not timidly or idly let his confession be reproached.
Yet all his circumstances were as ordinary as ours of this day. He had God’s Word and God’s presence, as I have said, and so have we. But that was all: He had not even the inspiration of a Haggai or a Zechariah to encourage him. It was simply the grace of God, in the power of the Spirit, awakening a saint to fresh service by the Word.
If other portions of the story of the returned captives have instructed and encouraged and warned us, surely, we may now say, this may well humble us. In Ezra’s condition, how coldly and how feebly are our souls exercised in comparison with his spirit of earnest service and secret communion!
The journey was accomplished, the second exodus from Babylon was completed, and Jerusalem was reached by Ezra and his companions without any mischief or loss by the way. The good hand of their God was with them and proved itself enough without help from the king. The treasures were all delivered to the temple, as they had been weighed and numbered at the Ahava. All that in the days of Noah had gone into the ark came out safe and sound. Not a grain fell to the ground of such treasures at any time, and here all arrive at Jerusalem that had left Chaldea.
Fresh Separation to God
To maintain anything of purity in the progress of a dispensation, reviving power has to be put forth again and again; a fresh separation to God and His truth has to take place. So it was when Ezra arrived in Jerusalem.
We pause for a moment to consider some divine principles. In the day of the flood, God had separated defilement from Himself and His creation by judgment. But when the post-deluvian world defiled itself, He distinguished between clean and unclean by calling Abraham to Himself, to the knowledge of Him, and a walk with Him, apart from the world. These are samples of what He has done and is doing still. Separation from evil is, in a great sense, the principle of communion with Him.
A Purged Vessel
Ezra soon finds that the returned captives had practically forgotten all this. The children of the captivity had been marrying and giving in marriage with the Gentiles. Ezra sets himself to the work of reformation, and the blessing of God waits upon it. There is no miracle; no displayed glory; no mighty energy speaking of extraordinary divine presence; the service is done for the glory of the God of Israel, and in the spirit of worship and communion. Ezra maintains principles, and carries the Word of God through every hindrance.
Ezra soon finds that the returned captives had mingled themselves with the people of the land. They were involved again in that evil from which the call of God had separated them; they were defiled. For sanctification is by “the truth”; the washing of water is “by the Word,” and, if holiness be not according to God’s Word, and God’s Word as He applies it at the time, or dispensationally, it has no divine quality. There is no Nazaritism in it—no separation to God. The children of the captivity had been marrying and giving in marriage with the Gentiles. Ezra sets himself to the work of reformation, and does so in the same spirit in which he had set himself to be for God before his journey and on his journey. And this is what we have very specially to mark in Ezra. He was, personally, so much the saint of God as well as a vessel gifted and filled. This shows itself in Ezra more than in any who had served among the captives before him. Ezra sets himself to the work of reformation He was a vessel that had, indeed, purged itself for the Master’s use; for the reformation in Jerusalem is accomplished in the same zeal as the journey from Babylon; and the blessing of God awaits upon it. There is no miracle, no displayed glory, and no mighty energy demonstrating extraordinary divine presence: nothing is seen out of the common measure or beyond ordinary resources. Service is, if done and rendered according to the written Word, for the glory of the God of Israel and in the spirit of worship and communion. It is a sample of what service at this day might be, or, may we may add, what it ought to be. Ezra, throughout, does not listen to expediency or yield to a difficulty, or refuse diligence and toil; he maintains principles, and carries the Word of God through every hindrance.
I believe deeply that the saints of God today may read the story of the returned captives and find it useful for edification, instruction, encouragement, as well as for warning and to humble them.
“How precious is the book divine,
By inspiration given!
Bright as a lamp its doctrines shine
To guide us on to heaven.”
J. G. Bellett
Ezra and NehemiahApproach to Failure Among God's People
Nehemiah and Ezra lived approximately at the same time, and were both faithful men. Each had a heart for the Lord, and each was raised up of the Lord for a specific purpose. However, it is evident that their characters were very different. Nehemiah arrived in Jerusalem some years after Ezra had been there, and some have suggested that there had been failure on Ezra’s part, in that he concentrated on teaching the people and dealing with their sins, while the walls of Jerusalem lay in ruins. He had surely seen all the rubbish and the desolation of the wall, and some have questioned why he did not address the matter, as well as being occupied with the people and the temple.
To this we can only reply that God uses His servants according to His own purpose, and it was important that the state of the people be right before they were exercised as to rebuilding the wall. Thus God used a Zerubbabel to build the temple, an Ezra to teach the people and to recall them to the Lord, and a Nehemiah to build the wall. Each was chosen by the Lord, and fitted for the work He had given them to do.
However, I would suggest that there is an important lesson that we can learn, if we observe the different ways in which these two faithful men approached failure and difficulty among God’s people. Both recognized the failure of God’s people, and identified with it. Both had a desire for the honor and glory of the Lord, and sought diligently to address the problems they found. But again, each approached those difficulties in a different way, and we can learn from their experience.
Ezra’s Mission
Ezra, who came to Jerusalem some thirteen years before Nehemiah, had to face a decline in the spiritual state of the people who had gone back to the land of Israel. Nearly fifty years had passed since the dedication of the temple, and no longer was there the same energy for the Lord and His interests as there had been when “the children of Israel, which were come again out of captivity, and all such as had separated themselves unto them from the filthiness of the heathen of the land, to seek the Lord God of Israel ... kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy,” and strengthened their hands “in the work of the house of God” (Ezra 6:21-22). Evil had come in, and it was reported to Ezra that “the people of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the people of the lands ... for they have taken of their daughters for themselves, and for their sons: so that the holy seed have mingled themselves with the people of those lands” (Ezra 9:1-2).
Ezra’s reaction is admirable, for we read, “I rent my garment and my mantle, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down astonied” (Ezra 9:3). The result was that “then were assembled unto me every one that trembled at the words of the God of Israel” (v. 4). Ezra then fell upon his knees, confessing the sin of the nation as his own, and recognizing their present situation as being the result of serious failure in the past. In turn, God Himself worked in the hearts of the people to desire to correct the problem by the putting away of those heathen wives, while Ezra continued in fasting and mourning. The outcome of this humility of heart before the Lord was a thorough dealing with the matter, painful though it must have been. It was a work of God, and He received the glory.
Nehemiah’s Mission
As we have noted, Nehemiah came some years after Ezra, and they knew one another, for they are seen working together (see Nehemiah 8:9). Nehemiah was an active man—one who was practical in his outlook, and who wanted to get things done. As we have already mentioned, he too confessed the sin of Israel as his own, mourning and fasting, and especially when a report was brought to him concerning the sad state of the wall and gates of Jerusalem. It was his energy and enthusiasm that galvanized the people into rebuilding the wall, which evidently had been in a sad condition ever since it had been broken down by Nebuchadnezzar more than 130 years before.
Then later it came to his attention that some of the nobles had been oppressing the poor, exacting usury of them, and causing great hardship. Instead of sitting down before the Lord, it is recorded that Nehemiah was “very angry,” and he records that “I consulted with myself” (Neh. 5:6-7). More than this, concerning the nobles, he “set a great assembly against them” (vs. 7). The Lord worked in the hearts of those nobles, and restitution was made to those who had been wronged, for which we can thank the Lord. But then later, Nehemiah could say to the Lord, “Think upon me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people” (Neh. 5:19). Instead of the Lord’s getting the glory, Nehemiah took it for himself, wanting the Lord to remember all that he had done.
Nehemiah’s Second Visit
It seems that after some years in Jerusalem, Nehemiah went back to Persia, but then came again to visit his people in “the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon” (Neh. 13:6). Again he found that serious failure had developed in his absence, both in desecration of the temple, and in profaning the Sabbath. As well, some of the people of Israel, including those who were rulers and priests, had once again married wives of other nations, so that their children spoke in dialects of mixed languages.
Once again Nehemiah’s response was characteristic of his strong personality, for it is recorded that he “contended with them, and cursed them, and smote certain of them, and plucked of their hair” (Neh. 13:25). Concerning one of the chiefest offenders, Nehemiah states that “I chased him from me” (vs. 28). All this was no doubt righteous indignation, and was well deserved by the wrongdoers. But while the Lord’s glory was before Nehemiah, it seems that self and the energy of nature entered into his way of dealing with the evil. Again, the final word in the book is, “Remember me, O my God, for good” (vs. 31).
We call attention to all this, not to cast stones at Nehemiah or malign his character, but simply to point out that it is much better to humble ourselves and allow the Lord to work in guilty hearts, rather than resort to human energy. The Lord in His ways may allow human energy to accomplish His purpose, but how much better to allow Him to work. Then cold hearts are warmed and brought back to Him, and ultimately He gets the glory, not we who may be used of Him.
W. J. Prost
Blessing Follows Humbling
Across the plains they journey,
Jerusalem in view;
Hopes are high, a joy is theirs—
If only but a few.
Hands strengthened by the gold-gifts;
The plan of God is clear;
Rebuild the temple; worship Him
With offerings held so dear.
The voices of the weeping
Are mingled with the song;
Past glories are remembered, but
In weakness they are strong.
Our hearts need always focus
On Him who is our head;
Disturbing things around, within
Can render hearts quite dead.
Firstly, “consider your ways”;
“I’m with you; do not fear”;
A loving God surrounds us,
His presence always near.
Blessing follows the humbling:
Ezra’s example, bright—
Though painful be the process,
It’s valued in God’s sight.
cph